Grain seeder feed device



April 26, 1938. J. HOKE GRAIN SEEDER FEED DEVICE Filed Jan. 28, 19:57

ATTORNEYS y INVENTOR. fa/w I. Home,

UNITED srarss T OFFCE GRAIN SEEDER FEED DEVICE John I. Hure. New Carlisle, 1nd.

Application Januaryv 28, 1937, Serial No. 122,707

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a ygrain seeder feed device.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a grain seeder feed device with a control discharge such that the rate of feed or discharge may be regulated and if, as and when desired, the control mechanism may be completely emptied of seed, thereby preventing fouling of the device and other objects of like character resulting therefrom.

The chief feature of the device consists in providing a rotative regulating sleeve in association with a positive discharge mechanism, both being associated with the discharge orifice or outlet of the grain seeder feed device.

Other features of the invention will be pointed out more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and .the following description and claims:

In the drawing Fig. l is a front elevational view of one end of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the same portion of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional yview of the control mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4 and in the direction of the aITOWS.

tractive elements.

Since the present invention is not concerned with the method of mounting the device nor the source of power for operating same, there has been illustrated herein only that portion of the device to which the invention is specically directed.

In the drawing there is illustrated but one end of such a device embodying the invention, it being understood that the opposite end may be similarly formed with the possible exception that the adjusting lever and associated locking mechanism is omitted.

In the drawing hopper and II an end Wall.

Ill indicates a side wall of a The side wall and tension I 2c rotatably'supports a tube I3. A 5

suitable number of apertures Ill are provided in the bottom portion Ia. Illese apertures are defined by collar portions Illa formed from the metal Illa.

A throat structure includes a casting I5 having the arcuate ange portion I6 and a discharge passage Il therein and into which the collar Ia projects. The ange I6 is suitably secured tov the bottom Illa of the hopper portion IB as by rivets I8, or the like. 'Ihe throat I5 terminates in an arcuate conformation I9 which substantially conforms to the major portion of half of the periphery of the pipe I3, see Fig. 5. Interposed between the throat I5 and the hopper is a gasket 2U which may be of felt, or the like. This prevents moisture, dirt, and the like, from entering the passage Il by draining down the outside wall of the hopper. The several openings I4 are longitudinally aligned and are in predetermined spaced relation. The corresponding throats are similarly arranged.

As previously stated, thetube I3 is rotatably supported in the circular extensions I2C of the two end frames. Any number of intermediate and complementarily formed frames may also be provided and thus intermediately support the tube.

Rigidly secured to the tube at one end and beyond the frame is a lever 2|, said lever having a pin 22. The endv frame adjacent the lever 2| detachably supports as at 23 an arcuate plate 24 having spaced recesses 25 therein, said recesses being aligned on the arc of a circle, the axis of which coincides with the axis of the tube. The resiliency of the lever is such that it is normally constrained to seat the pin 22 in one of the registering recesses 25 and thus be retained therein. The tube, therefore, is rotatably adjustable and locked in the desired rotative position.

The tube includes a plurality of inlet openings in similar spaced relation and longitudinally aligned. One of said openings is indicated clearly in Figs. 4 and 5 and is designated by the numeral 26 therein.

Coaxial with the tube is a shaft 21 and said shaft projects beyond the tube and if desired, projects beyond the same at each end. The free end of the shaft is rotatably supported in the hub portion 28 of the lever 2l, said hub portion closing the end of the tube.

A sprocket 29 issuitably secured to the free and exposed end of the Yshaft 21 by the set screw 30, or the like. The sprocket is driven by a chain 3|, the latter in turn being driven from the tractive element, such as a supporting wheel, of the device itself or may be driven from Ysome othery Vsource of power on some other tractive implement, to which the device may be applied, as initiallyset forth herein. The sprocket and chain are merely conventional! representatlonsVY of ay ,10

source of rotative power for the shaft.

l The shaft supports adjacent eachV opening 26 and withinrthe tubea closure 3| Vwhich has a xtubular bearing 32 and a cylindrical bearing 33.

Y so.Y

vrThe latter conforms to the interiorv of thet'ub'e'V |3. 'I'he former hasl a bore 34 therein which con-VV forms to the shaft.` The closure"3|m'ay,be secured rigidly to the shaft, inwhich'event'it will Yrotate within the tube orit maybesecured rige idlyto the tube, Yiniwhich event the shaft will rotate in-the closure bearing 34. Y construction may Vbe utilized, depending upon which is preferred. Y

Y Ihe tube I3, VdiametrioallyV opposite opening 26, is providedwi'th a smaller and discharge opening 35. Y These openings are'in diametrical alignn Yment. suitably secured on theshaft 211 ,isV a closure 36,'said closure 36 withV the closure 3| forming a chamber, the intake of which isthe Vopening 26 in the tube and the discharge of which is Vthe opening 35 therein. YTheclosure 36 has axhub portion 31 andra set screw "38, or

the like, secures the hub to the shaft 21.

, To ,facilitate the Vdischarge and prevent cieg-Y ging or packing, there is provid-ed an agitator andV herein the same is formedV asl a cylindrical 'eX tensionl 39 directed inwardly intoethe tube 'chamberr. VItis tobe understood the cylindrical eX-e tension`f39 is rotatably associated with 'the tube.

The interior of the cup'shaped arrangement, in-Y cluding'portions `36 and39, is scalloped as atil,V Y forming teeth or the equivalenten' theinterior of ysaid 'cup and this serves Vto agitateand move V4| ofthe cup' construction. The edge 4| ofthe i the seed in the tube eheun'leer. As shown eieeriy Yin Figs. l and 5; the recessing or serrating 40 is' directed outwardly' from the axis toward the edge l cup construction is substantiallycoplanar with the diametricalaxis ofthe openings 26-35.

In this way to a limited extent, this cupfconstruction Aserves as a restraint device. AThe cup yconstruction may Vbe, set'or adjustedlongitudinally on the aXi'sto any other position soit will regulate Ythe flow ofseed from the hopper to theV vtubechamberr'and from the tube chamber eXteriorlyof'the device. In other words, when larger seed is being used in the device the closures 36 may be moved axially to the Vright-see Fig.l '4f and secured in the'desiredradjusted position.

When smaller seed is being used in the device, the adjustment is'in the oppositerdirection. The aforesaid adjustment permits the device to handle various sizes'- of seed and, therefore, differentV kinds of seed. To regulate thefeed of the particular type of seed usedin the device, the lever 2| isA moved to the desired arcuate*positionY and yieldingly locked therein by the pinr22 Vseating in the adjacent recess 25. This rotative. adjustedY Vposition of fthe tube determines thewdegree of registration lof. the Ypassage andthe opening 26, these two being of substantially equal area.

VVAlso, the arcuate fshifting ofthe tube simu1ta' neouslyshifts in a similar direction the discharge The foregoing arrangement permits the tube to be se adjustedthat it win: eempiene1y eut eff, 'eem-Y Either. form of e in the hopper.

01T position.

It is te be understood the device ineiudes a cover, now shown, so that the seed in the hopper would be protected Yagainst ther entrance of dirt yand moisture. Y

Whenever itis desired vto completely remove the seed from thefdevice, the rotativepower may n,

be actuated With the device held stationary and all of the seed completely discharged orV if desired, all the seed in the hopper can be readily passage and this may be readily removedby peciallyrin Fig; 4.

,removed therefromr through the upper Vendpf the hopper, except that which is entrapped inthe Withthisjinvention, itis apparent that the de-V vice is adaptedjto handle diiferentgsizes Vof seed.

and is adapted to discharge regulated amounts thereof so that the deviceis substantially uni-VY versal in its application and has the further ad.-

vantagethatit may bereadily cleaned, emptied,v

orif seed is retained therein temporarily, the

seed is protected against damage as aforesaid.;.`

While the invention has beendesoribed in great detail in the foregoing description, the same together with the illustration of the .invention .isl

to be considered as illustrative and not restric' tive in character. Various modifications ofV theV invention such as herein described, as Vwell as others which will readily suggestthemselves .to

persons skilled in this art, are allconsideredto Ybe within ythe broadscope of the inventioir'reference being had to the appended claims.

'I'he invention claimed is:"- Y f f ,l 1. Inga grain seed feeding device, the combi-V nation of an elongated hopper including aplurality of spaced aperturesf in. the' bottomY thereof,

al tube .therebeneath and correspondingly aper?.

tured, means operatively connecting the hopper to the tube and` forming individual passages: from the apertures in the hopper to the adjacent tube apertures, said tubeincluding a similar number of correspondingly spaced discharge apertures,

means in the tube forming tube chambers in free Y communication with eachY pair of intake and discharge apertures, androtatable means in each `tube chamber for insuring non-clogging. passage 'Y of seed through the chamber. Y Y y.

V2..In,a grain seed feeding device, the combi-jv nation of ahopper ,including a discharge throat jhavingra lower face of partial cylindrical'iorm,v an apertured'tube supported in juxtaposition to',v

the throat lower face, the tube apertures providing an upper intakeV and a lower discharge to and from an intermediate 'tube chamber, Vmeans' Y substantially sealing the tube at opposite sides*V of theapertures to form the tube-chamber, a. toothed.memberrotatable in theltube chamber substantially asand for theipurposedescribed,

thetube being pivotally mounted, means for re'.H

taining the tube in adjustedpivotal positionnfor Y regulating the amountvof registration betweenl the throat and the intake for regulating the flowY of seed through the chamber;V

3,. VIn aV grain seed feeding device'the 'combi-.

nation of a hopper includinga discharge throat having a. lower faceoi partial cylindrical formgan apertured tube supported' in 'juxtaposition 'to the,

y20 rotating.: the control mechanism shownrmorees- *Y i cof throat lower face, the tube apertures providing an upper intake and a lower discharge to and from an intermediate tube chamber, means substantially sealing the tube at opposite sides of the apertures to form the tube chamber, the tube being pivotally mounted, means for retaining the tube in adjusted pivotal position for regulating the amount of registration between the throat and the intake for regulating the flow of seed through the chamber, rotatable means in each tube chamber for insuring non-clogging passage of seed through the chamber, and means axially adjusting the tube sealing means relative to the tube for the purpose described.

4. In a grain seed feeding device, the combination of a hopper, an end frame associated therewith and including a depending extension with a cylindrical bore therein, a tube rotatably supported in said bore and projecting beyond the same, throat means interposed between the tube and hopper and providing individual throat passages between the hopper and the tube, means in the tube forming tube chambers, one for each throat passage, each chamber having an intake communicating with the throat passage and a discharge, and means for rotating and securing in rotated position the tube for regulating the seed feeding.

5. In a grain seed feeding device, the combina.-

tion of a hopper, an end frame associated there-V with and including a depending extension with a cylindrical bore therein, a tube rotatably supported in said bore and projecting beyond the same, throat means interposed between the tube and hopper and providing individual throat passages between the hopper and the tube, means in the tube forming tube chambers, one for each throat passage, each chamber having an intake communicating with the throat Passage and a discharge, means for rotating and securing in rotated position the tube for regulating the seed feeding, a coaxial shaft within said tube and projecting beyond the same, means on the exposed end of said shaft for rotating the same, and means in each tube chamber rotatable by said shaft for insuring the free flow of seed through the chamber.

6. A device as defined by claim 4, characterized by certain of the tube chamber forming means being axially movable for seed size adjustment.

'7. A device as defined by claim 5, characterized by certain of the tubebhamber forming means being axially movable for seed size adjustment.

8. In a grain seed feeding device, the combination of an apertured hopper, a throat associated therewith having a passage registering with the apertures and the arcuate face remote from the hopper, a tube rotatably mounted adjacent the hopper and exteriorly contacting the arcuate face and including an intake aperture adapted for throat passage registration and a discharge aperture, means rotatably supporting the tube, other means for rotating the tube and securing the same in adjusted rotated position for regulating the amount of registration between the intake aperture of the tube and the throat passage, a coaxial shaftwithin the tube, means for rotating the shaft, a closure within the tube and concentric with the shaft and at one side of the apertures forming one wall of a tube chamber, a closure rigid with the shaft and rotatable within the tube and axially adjustable relative thereto for regulating the effective area of the tube chamber intake aperture.

9.` A device as defined by claim 8, characterized by the last mentioned closure being of cup formation, the interior side wall surface being toothed to insure non-clogging passage of the seed through the tube chamber.

10. A device as dened by claim 8, characterized by the last mentioned closure being of cup formation, the interior side wall surface being toothed to insure non-clogging passage of the seed through the tube chamber, seal means between the throat and the hopper, and collar means nestable in the throat and defining the hopper aperture.

11. A device as defined by claim 3, characterized by the rotatable means constituting an extension of a portion of the tube sealing means.

JOHN I. HOKE. 

